Waiting Once Again
Prompt Phoenix is waiting for Miles Waiting Once Again Once more, Phoenix Wright stares out his window. He’s waiting for Miles’ big red car to pull up, and for Miles himself to come out. Trucy says that Miles isn’t coming home tonight, but Phoenix dismisses her. Miles always comes back. Miles went back to Europe, a few years ago. Being Chief Prosecutor didn’t ground him in Los Angeles, and Phoenix knew that. Phoenix just wants Miles to come home. He knows that Miles doesn’t have to come back, but Phoenix is sure he will. Trucy says that Miles isn’t coming home, but Phoenix doesn’t listen to her. She might be his daughter, but she isn’t right about everything. Trucy is a teenager, and while she thinks she’s a genius, she’s just learning. Phoenix doesn’t tell her this, because it will damage her ego, and that will cause her to defend into moods, and then Trucy will lock herself away in her room on social media, and will never talk to Phoenix again. Phoenix doesn’t want that, because he loves Trucy. So he just ruffles her hair, and she walks off grinning. The attorney continues staring out the window. He misses Miles a lot. But Miles will come back, Phoenix is sure of it. Miles always comes back. ~ It’s snowing on the day that Phoenix takes Trucy up to Kurain. They go by train of course. Trains are the only way to get to the mountains when you have no car. Not even a license, in Phoenix’s case. It’s okay though. Trucy likes taking the train. The buses are inconvenient, and only come 3 times a day. So they take the train. While on the train, it’s easy to see how excited Trucy is. She hasn’t seen Pearl in months, so of course she’s excited. Trucy can’t wait to hang out with her, and plan lots of things. Phoenix just chuckles and tells her not to plan any romantic dinners. Trucy blushes but she nods, remembering when both she and Pearl were convinced that Phoenix and Maya were ‘special someones.’ That’s okay, because they both grew up, and Phoenix thinks the child-like ideals are adorable. Plus, they all know that Phoenix loves Miles. Phoenix misses Miles. He hasn’t come back from Europe yet, and Phoenix is wondering when he will. It’s unlike Miles not to leave a note, or to never call, or not even to send a letter. It’s a bit rude of him, Phoenix thinks. Trucy asks if he’s thinking about Miles again. Phoenix admits to it, but wants to know how she does it, because it’s unfair. Trucy explains the far away look in his eyes, and tells him that he does it every time he thinks about Miles. Phoenix narrows his eyes, but he sighs, and knows that Trucy is far more perceptive than him. She always is. She shares it with Apollo, and they are huge reasons why nobody in the agency can lie. Of course, Athena helps with that. Everyone tells the truth in the agency. Somehow, thoughts of the truth make him think about Miles again, and his constant pursuit of the truth. Trucy nudged him and tells him to stop floating off into space. Phoenix sighs, but pays attention to the scenery outside. He knows Miles will come back, no matter what anyone else says. Miles always comes back. ~ The train pulls into the Kurain Station at around 4pm. Maya and Pearl are waiting at the train station for the weary travellers, and as soon as Phoenix and Trucy step out of the train, they’re greeted by a shrieking thirty year old, and a slightly timid nineteen year old. Phoenix is pulled into a hug by a cheery Maya, and she grips him so hard he can’t breathe. Everything seems fine, because Maya’s happy, and Pearl is happy, and Pearl is already talking to Trucy and they’re both smiling. Phoenix watches as they talk, and they’re walking ahead, and suddenly Phoenix thinks about how old he is, because Trucy’s eighteen and he can’t bear leaving her. Maya can see how said he is, and she puts a hand on Phoenix’s shoulder, telling him that things will be fine, and there’s no way Trucy will ever be far, and when Phoenix doesn’t believe her, she gestures towards Trucy and Pearl. The two girls have their arms around each other, and they’re smiling, and they way they smile, you know they’re not friends, and they’re not sort of sisters, and even Phoenix can tell. But it means his little girl is growing up, and that’s the last thing he wants, because he wants her to remain eight years old forever. Of course, Phoenix can’t ask that of her, because it’s impossible. Maya just laughs and says she demands an invitation to the wedding. Phoenix doesn’t want a wedding. Even though it would be adorable, he couldn’t stand losing little Trucy. Even though Pearls is quite possibly the only person on the planet he’d trust Trucy to marry, he’s terrified. Phoenix is scared of being left alone. Maya tells Phoenix he’s an idiot, and that he’ll never be alone, so he should stop worrying. Phoenix nudges Maya and says that speaking of weddings, when is the master of Kurain getting married? Maya knows she’s never getting married, not to anyone, no sir, and she tells Phoenix just that. Phoenix just laughs and says Maya gets a front row seat at his wedding with Miles. Maya is still smiling, but the smile in her eyes drops, and her face is going through a hundred emotions at once, while the smile remains, but now it’s forced. Phoenix is confused, but just says that Miles might come up for a surprise, and if he doesn't, he’ll phone. Maya winces, and says they should head back to the Manor, because it’s getting late. Phoenix knows she’s lying because it’s 4pm, and it’ll take maybe 20 minutes to walk up to Fey Manor. Phoenix doesn’t question her, but he does want to know why she’s avoiding bringing up Miles. Maya quickly points towards the snow outside, daring both Trucy and Pearl to beat her outside, since an old geezer like Nick couldn’t do it! Phoenix shrugs, and follows, but his mind is still on Miles, who will be coming back. Miles always comes back. ~ As soon as the ragtag group of four arrive at Fey Manor, Trucy and Pearl disappear into Pearl’s room. Normally, this wouldn’t bother Phoenix, but when the two of them were younger, they would lock him and Maya in a closet, thinking they’d fall in love inside. Of course, that never happened, and hearing the familiar locks click in Pearl’s room, Phoenix just wants to shout, but can he? Maya tells him that they’re growing up, and that they’re both mature enough to do whatever they please. She whacks him in the arm so he’ll get the point, but she knows that Phoenix is just being a worried father. They sit in the main room, and they talk. It’s just like old times, almost. Phoenix talks about his cases, and ridiculous escapades in court. Maya talks about spirit channelling, and Kurain. They keep the topics light, but Phoenix can tell that Maya is trying to avoid a few subjects. He won’t outright ask her, but he knows she’s hiding something. But he says nothing. Phoenix can’t force her to talk, and he won’t use the Magatama on her. It’s too risky, and he’d feel heartless if he had to break her. They just talk. Maya asks about Apollo and Athena. Phoenix asks about being the Master. It’s almost as if nothing has changed in the ten years since she was his assistant. Ten years goes by so quickly. Phoenix feels old, even though he’s only he’s only thirty-six. Maya tells him he’s always been old, and it’s just now that he’s come to terms with it. They laugh, and finally, Phoenix gets to courage to ask why she won’t talk about Miles. Maya freezes, and she finally says that Miles won’t be coming back from Europe, he’s not coming to Kurain, and he’s never going to phone. Phoenix blinks at her bluntness, and asks why. He deserves to know why Miles won’t contact him. They were so close, before Miles flew back to Europe again. Tears flood Maya’s normally perky eyes, and she runs out of the room, ultimately ending the conversation. Phoenix starts after her, then gives up, and curls up on a couch by the window. He watches the dirt road, wondering where Miles is. He’s expecting for his fancy, garish red, Italian car to roar up, with the magenta clad, frilly prosecutor inside. And of course, before Miles comes in, he has to get out of his, and open the trunk out of sheer paranoia, just so that he knows there isn’t a dead body inside. Miles has been checking his trunk for years, and it never gets old. It’s almost funny, if it wasn’t so stressful for Miles, because what if there actually is a body in there? Phoenix chuckles at the memories, and slowly slips into a dream. A dream where Miles is there, and everything is alright. Those are the best kinds of dreams, and Phoenix cherishes them, as they don’t come often. He likes them, because is reassures him that Miles will come back. Miles always comes back. ~ Phoenix wakes up on the couch, his face pressed into one of the cushions. As he sits up, cheery voices blur his head, and as he focuses. The voices come from the kitchen, and Phoenix assumes he’s the last one awake. As he shuffles awkwardly into the kitchen, Phoenix realizes the voices belong to Trucy and Pearl, who are chittering about one thing or another. Maya is nowhere in sight, and therefore, probably still sleeping. Phoenix leans against the doorframe, and takes a glance at his daughter and Pearl. They’re smiling, and watching each other, and smiling more. Then Pearl shyly leans in and kisses Trucy lightly on the cheek. Trucy blushes, and her top hat is lopsided, and they’re both grinning at each other, and Phoenix is trying not to laugh at them. And suddenly Phoenix is slipping off the doorframe, and landing on the floor. He’s laughing because he feels ridiculous, and with the two girls just staring at him, it somehow makes it even funnier. As soon as he stands, Pearl is blurting apologies, and making incoherent noises, while beet-red. Trucy doesn’t say anything, but she’s hidden her face in her hat. Phoenix almost considers giving Pearl ‘the talk’, but the terrified look on her face makes him go easy on her. Instead, he just tells them that they’re adorable. This gets Trucy out in the open, and she smiles faintly, while still holding onto Pearl. Their faces remind Phoenix of Miles, and suddenly the defence attorney is drifting out again, his mind shifting things till Miles is the only thing in his head. Miles and his gentle face, his soft hair, Miles, Miles, Miles… Phoenix finds himself on the floor again, and this time both Trucy and Pearl are laughing. He’s face down on the bamboo flooring, and can’t see what’s going on, but he feels ridiculous. Maya, of course, chooses this exact moment to enter the kitchen, and bursts into laughter, because even thought she has no idea what’s going on, it’s hilarious. After everyone is sane again, they all sit around the table, and Phoenix feels brave enough to ask Maya about last night. About why she freaked when he brought up Miles. Maya looks down at her lap, and just says that he won’t be coming back from Europe. Phoenix says that’s ridiculous. Miles always comes back ~ Christmas Eve comes around again, and Phoenix is happy. It’s a small celebration, unlike the usual full-blown party, but that’s fine with him. He needs a break, and drinking eggnog by the window is the best way to relax. Apollo and Athena are probably talking about a case, while Trucy and Pearl try to put decorations back on the tree. Maya has had too much eggnog, and looks like she might explode, but everyone knows that she’ll be fine in the end. It’s snowing outside, which is strange, because it usually doesn’t snow. Three snowmen outside reflect the days activities, while the street lamps glow. Phoenix is waiting for the familiar roar of an Italian car, but it isn’t coming. As Phoenix watches the party some more, he notices Pearl shyly kissing Trucy, and he wonders if she really is the braver one. While Trucy might be outgoing and assertive, Pearl is clearly on top of things. To be fair, Pearl’s been exposed to grisly murders since she was eight, and probably has a bravery complex. Phoenix wonders if this is his fault. Suddenly, there’s a loud knocking at the door. Everyone turns in surprise, even Phoenix, who’s shouting Miles’ name like he’s never heard it before. Maya gasps, and she stares at the door with Trucy, because Miles is at the door, Miles came back, and they all said he wouldn’t but Miles has come back. Pearl, Trucy, and Maya are all saying Miles over and over again, while Apollo and Athena just look at each other and blink, because they don’t get it. Phoenix is answering the door, and his arms are open, and suddenly the smile diminishes, because he’s greeted with a face full of whip leather. As he spits out the pain, two people enter the office. It’s unclear who has dragged who along, as both parties look a bit ruffled. Maya smiles, and says hello to Franziska, because she’s pretty much the only person who properly remembers her. Pearl blinks, and tries to place the memories, but Franziska never visits, and the last time Pearl saw her was nearly ten years ago. Franziska brushes the snow off her coat, and extends a greeting to the guests. Franziska von Karma, prosecuting prodigy. She’s still going by that, even though she’s thirty now. Seeing the small amount of confusion at the woman behind her, Franziska introduces Adrian Andrews as her wife. Adrian smiles, and waves nervously. She doesn’t know most of the people in the room, and suddenly, Phoenix recognizes the shy, scared girl from years ago. Trucy quickly introduces everyone in the room, including the people Franziska and Adrian already know. She also introduces Pearl as her girlfriend, to which they both admit they know Pearl from years ago. Of course, Trucy immediately wants to know this, so Phoenix, Franziska, and Adrian construct a vague story about the cases Phoenix had handled, with Maya unhelpfully pitching in her opinion sometimes. Considering she was in detention, or kidnapped during those times, her words can not hold all the water. Eventually, Trucy just shrugs, and offers them eggnog. Adrian and Franziska hang around, as the music plays, and it gets closer to midnight. Even though it’s Christmas Eve, not New Year’s Eve, everyone counts down the seconds until midnight, and the new day. When it reaches zero, Franziska pulls Adrian into a gentle kiss, Trucy startles Pearl, and holds her close. Apollo grumpily watches from the corner, and Athena just says he’d mad that he doesn’t have Klavier here to hold him. Apollo retorts that she doesn’t have Simon to suck her face off either. Without anyone to kiss, or bicker with, Maya slides over to where Phoenix is sitting by the window. They talk a little, and wish each other a Merry Christmas. There’s almost nothing new to say, and so they sip eggnog, and Phoenix keeps looking outside again. Maya says that he’s not going to show up. Phoenix replies that Miles promised to be home for Christmas. That he will return in the end. Miles always comes back. ~ It’s still very early morning on Christmas Day, and the party is still in full swing. But Phoenix can’t focus on the party. He’s half asleep, but he keeps watching the window. Eventually Miles will return. He has to. Eventually, Franziska walks over, and demands he pay some attention to his guests, and that a foolish fool should at least acknowledge them. Phoenix calmly replies that he is waiting for Miles to come back. Miles might be late, but Phoenix know’s he’s coming. Franziska’s face flames up, tears already welling at her eyes. Her words blur together as she shouts at Phoenix, her sentences turning into rapid German. Phoenix doesn’t know what he’s done, but she’s lashing out, literally, with her whip. Phoenix dives under her arm to get into the middle of the room, but she rounds on him, scream-crying. When she finally starts speaking English again, she asks when Miles went away to Germany. Phoenix doesn’t know, but Franziska saves him the humiliation by answering. He went away eight months ago. And the whole time, he hasn’t written, hasn’t called, hasn’t visited. There’s been no contact whatsoever. Franziska asks if this is suspicious. Phoenix just looks at her, fear in his eyes. Eventually, Franziska throws up her hands, and tells him to follow her. Adrian follows her wife out, and Phoenix gestures to Maya to come with them. Of course, Maya wants to bring Pearl, who won’t leave without Trucy, so there’s six people going out. Apollo and Athena stay in the office, completely bewildered by everyone’s behaviour. Everyone clambers into Franziska’s car. The back is small, and Phoenix and Maya have hardly any room between them. Pearl has to sit on Trucy’s lap, and even then, there’s hardly any room at all. Franziska starts the car, and pulls out onto the road. It’s 3am, and there’s almost no traffic, but the roads are horribly icy. As they drive, Franziska is yelling in German, and scream-crying. At one point, she lets go of the steering wheel entirely, and it’s up to Adrian to navigate down the winter roads. Finally, they arrive at a small park, and everyone gets out. They stumble through the snow, until Franziska herds them to what is probably a pine tree, but nobody can remember the name of it. There’s almost no snow here, and Franziska points to a patch of over turned dirt. Then, emotions flowing out from inside her, she falls to her knees, with Adrian holding onto her tightly. Trucy and Pearl understand, and they weep quietly. Maya hands Phoenix a crumpled piece of paper, and says nothing, silent, hot tears streaming down her numb face. Phoenix looks at the paper, and looks at the dirt, and he looks at the engraved rock, and finally everything fits together. He falls down somehow, tears finally breaching him. Somehow he’s known this was coming, and he doesn’t understand why he lied to himself for all this time. The paper reads five familiar words. Prosecutor Miles Edgeworth chooses death. Phoenix grips the grave of the man he loved, and whispers, his voice heavily strained. They all cry, because there’s nothing else they can do. “Miles… you’re not coming back...” Miles is dead. Category:Brighty's Stuff Category:Fanfictions Category:Worse Category:Ace Attorney Category:Non-Warriors Category:Wrightworth Category:Fradrian Category:Haruminuki Category:Finished Stories